Design By Practice
Module: Project 3a
FAO: Brigitta Zics & Taslima Begum
Name: Justin Gould-Davies
Student no: 20342705
Date: 15/01/2009
Project 3a
The <OppositeBike>
We’ve all heard the term ‘It’s just like riding a bike’ and we all know what it means. It means that we have previously learned
something in our past and for some reason we will never forget how to do it. We
all have this in-built way of storing certain movements and habits and
retaining the ability to be able to do them without even knowing or having to
think about our actions. For example most of us have driven a car from one
destination to another and suddenly realised that we have arrived at our
destination but without remembering physically controlling the vehicle and
actually taking the journey. This could be known as being instinctive or maybe
even being perfunctory.
If we look at a normal bicycle you will see that when it is not in use it is
merely nothing more than an inanimate object; that is, until we decide to use
it. When we ride the bicycle it becomes an extension of ourselves and therefore
because it becomes part of us we no longer see it as a bicycle but part of us.
The Bicycle has therefore become invisible to us. Martin Heidegger, a noted
philosopher of the 20th century described this occurrence as being ‘Ready to Hand’.
I propose to take away our preconception of how a bicycle is perceived as an
extension of ones self and make us reevaluate and re-learn how to actually ride
a bicycle. Heidegger states that to become re-aware of an objects use it is to
become ‘Present at Hand’. This is when something loses its natural functionality and thus loses its
invisibility to us because we now see it as a tool again.
Project Outcome
I want the user of the ‘OppositeBike’ to revaluate their preconception of how they first learned to ride a bike and
how subconsciously they view the bicycle as extension of themselves. Making the
user more aware of the functionality of the bicycle will make them view the
bicycle in a whole new light and offer a new usability. I feel
that this will be an ultimately rewarding experience for the user by reinventing
their perception of the bicycle.
The OppositeBike - its just ‘nothing’ like riding a bike.
1. The steering on the OppositeBike works the opposite way to how a normal bicycles works.
2. The pedals on the OppositeBike work the opposite way to how a normal bicycles works.
A Visual Example of Pedalling
Here is a pictorial example of how the effects of the Pedalling system on the
OppositeBike will affect the user.
The cyclist will mount his or her OppositeBike. As they then instinctively start
to pedal forward the bicycle starts to move backwards instead of forwards
The cyclist will initially be phased by this new development and suddenly become
aware of the bicycle.
The cyclist will now have to re-adjust their in-built idea of how to pedal.
Assuming that pedalling forwards makes them go backwards the cyclist will then
deduct that pedalling backwards will make them go forwards.
A Visual Example of Steering
Here is a pictorial example of how the effects of the Steering system on the
OppositeBike will affect the user.
The Cyclist once used to the pedalling system will then try to make a turn on
the OppositeBike. As the cyclist decides to turn left the wheel moves in the opposite direction turning right.
This will almost certainly stun the cyclist and more than likely cause them to
fall off the bicycle. Again the cyclist has become aware of the bicycle.
The cyclist will now have to re-adjust there their in-built idea of how to
steer. At first it will be difficult for them to adjust to this new method of
cycling. The satisfaction of having to re-learn how to bicycle will be just
like when they initially learned to ride a bike the first time!
